Renting the fields: the Bakoulis Family 

FIGURE 3 shows the Bakoules threshing floor indicating it was expropriated. Initial attempts describeagreements between the locals and the Americans to let them use their fields, that is rent their fields for while the excavation lasted and then return them to the owners to cultivate for the remainder of the year.

The disagreement with the Bakoulis brothers 

Relationships were not always easy since the archaeologists wanted to dig up the fields and the people needed the fields to cultivate and live from the produce. Agreements had to be made and disagreements had to be resolved.

In the case of the Bakoulis brothers, there is disagreement as to the use of the land for dumping the excavation earth.

The Bakoulis brothers caused problems for the archaeologists, even though the latter paid them a considerable sum to rent their field for the disposal of excavation soil. Recently, Ioannis Bakoulis, one of the grandsons of the three brothers who still lives in the village, handed me an agreement between Blegen and his ancestors. This document describes the situation exactly as Blegen recorded it in his diaries.

Blegen writes: "I saw the Bakoulis brothers twice today and had a long discussion with them. They refuse to let us cross their land unless we give them 200 dollars. Seraphim and Thomas spoke very badly against us, calling us liars. They claim that our agreement with them was only for three months, not for the entire year. However, the paper they signed, which I showed them, clearly states that the agreement was valid for the whole of 1914, until the end of the excavation work. They are threatening that if we try to pass through the field, they will call the police. In the end, I said, ‘the matter is finished.’ I urged them to reconsider their stance. The prospects are not promising.” (ASCSA Corinth Excavations Notebook 78, p. 8)

Further down, he continues: "Angelis (Kosmopoulos, the foreman) says we will start tomorrow despite the Bakoulis brothers’ threats. He checked the law and says it is on our side. We have to pay for any damage to the crops, but we have full rights of passage. I don’t know what we will do next year. There seems to be no way to negotiate with the Bakoulis brothers. It is impossible to reach an understanding with them. I have tried every possible approach I could think of.” (ASCSA Corinth Excavations Notebook 78, p. 15)